starting tomato plants from seed

Asked January 31, 2018, 10:41 AM EST

I use a heat mat to start my tomato seeds and get great germination. I have two questions: 1. When do I remove the heat mat? Right after germination or later? 2. Which is better soil to use- Seedling mix or potting soil?

1 Response

The short version for your questions is to start the seeds in seedling mix and to remove the heating pad right after germination. The entire story is in this publication: “Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors” (https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs787/) Notice that the suggestion of using “potting mix” refers to commercial seed starting mixes typically available in quantities too large for a home gardener. Smaller packaging is available at most local garden centers.